CW to adapt DC’s ‘Raven’ into series

Network taps Diego Gutierrez to write, exec produce

The CW is looking to adapt “Raven,” a half-demon also known as Rachel Roth, into a series. Diego Gutierrez, who most recently served as co-exec VP on “V,” is writing and will exec produce.

Project has a script order at the CW through Warner Bros. TV and DC Entertainment.

In DC Comics mythology, Raven — created by Marv Wolfman and George Perez — is the daughter of a human and a demon who has empath abilities to read emotions and divine secrets.

Raven, who’s able to teleport herself and enter the minds of others, uses her skills to fight crime while trying to keep her dark internal elements in check.

“Raven” reps the latest attempt by the C-Dub to find a suitable comic-themed replacement for “Smallville,” which is set to retire at the end of this season.

“Raven” isn’t the only DC Comics star in development this year; David E. Kelley is also prepping his take on “Wonder Woman.” But that project hasn’t yet landed at a network.

“Raven” actually has some history at the CW: The character was featured in the animated Kids’ WB series “Teen Titans,” which ran for several years (including Kids’ WB’s brief run as the CW’s Saturday morning kids block). Tara Strong voiced Raven in the series, which also featured Robin, Starfire, Beast Boy and Cyborg.

Coming full circle, the last time the CW looked to adapt a DC Comics character, it turned to Robin. In 2008, the netlet gave a committment to “The Graysons,” which was to follow the world of Dick “DJ” Grayson before he took on the iconic Robin identity and aligned himself with Batman.

“The Graysons” didn’t move forward, however, after Warner Bros. Pictures Group prexy Jeff Robinov decided he didn’t want the series to run simultaneous with Christopher Nolan’s “Batman” movie franchise. (Nolan was said at the time not to be pleased with the idea either).

But “Raven” is free of any other programming committments, beyond those “Teen Titans” repeats, now running on Boomerang.

Other previous DC titles in development at the CW include “Global Frequency.” And in 2002, the WB turned the “Batman” spinoff “Birds of Prey” into a series — but it proved short-lived.

Fox’s “Human Target” is also based on a DC title.

Gutierrez spent several seasons on “Without a Trace.” His other credits include “The Shield,” “Kingpin,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Dawson’s Creek.”